Skippack teen to stand trial for stabbing death of Royersford girlfriend

By
Frank Otto, The Mercury

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

(Updated 8:30 p.m.) SKIPPACK — The 16-year-old accused of stabbing his 17-year-old girlfriend to death on a section of the Perkiomen Trail waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday and will head to trial for the murder.

District Judge Albert J. Augustine held Tristan Brian Stahley, of Skippack, on all charges, sending the case to Montgomery County Court.

Stahley, a former Perkiomen Valley High School student, stands charged with first- and third-degree murder and possession of a weapon related to the alleged May 25 murder of Julianne Siller, a 17-year-old from Royersford who was scheduled to graduate from Spring-Ford Area High School weeks later.

Stahley is ineligible for bail due to the offenses he’s charged with and Montgomery County District Attorney Jeremy Abidiwan-Lupo asked that Stahley nor a “third party” have any contact with Siller’s family.

The left side of the courtroom behind the prosecution’s table was filled with family and friends of Siller, including her parents and a representative from the Montgomery County Women’s Center.

Stahley’s parents were the lone representatives on his side of the courtroom.

Clad in a red Montgomery County Correctional Facility jumpsuit and bound with shackles, Stahley stared straight ahead when he sat at his table.

Leaving the courtroom after he waived his hearing, Stahley turned toward the wall and did not look at the victim’s family.

Neither Abidiwan-Lupo nor the victim’s family wished to make any comments following the court date.

Attorney Tim Barton, who represented Stahley Wednesday, also declined to make any comments, saying it was “inappropriate at this time” to do so.

According to documents filed by police, Stahley allegedly stabbed Siller multiple times after they got on a part of the Perkiomen Trail near Palmer Park.

He then allegedly dragged her body a short distance off the trail into the woods, ditched the paramedic-style knife he allegedly used and returned home.

Police said Stahley threatened to kill himself with another knife shortly after confessing to his mother. As his father tried to get the knife away from him, Stahley then allegedly began fighting his father.

Once the state police arrived, Stahley reportedly confessed to them as well and led troopers to Siller’s body. Police said they also recovered the bloody knife in the area.

Stahley’s trial is scheduled to begin with a formal arraignment Aug. 28 at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown.

EARLIER MERCURY STAFF REPORTA 16-year-old boy who allegedly stabbed his girlfriend to death in a park near the Perkiomen Trail in May is headed to court to defend himself against murder charges.

Tristan Brian Stahley is charged with murder in the first-degree, murder in the third-degree and possession of a weapon charges in the stabbing death of Julianne Siller, 17, of Royersford. He waived his preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Albert J. Augustine Wednesday afternoon and faces a formal arraignment in Montgomery County court on Aug. 28 at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom A.

Siller and Stahley were dating and on the night of May 25 drove to Palmer Park in Skippack where they argued over Siller smashing Stahley’s phone and going out without him, according to court documents.

During the heated argument, Stahley, of the 4100 block of Rittenhouse Lane, Skippack, allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Siller in the throat, according to court documents. Stahley then allegedly dragged Siller’s body to a spot along the Perkiomen Trail and left her there. Stahley later told his mother about what he had done, according to court documents, and threatened to take his own life.

Stahley’s father attempted to stop him from committing suicide and struggled with the teen, suffering scratches to his face and a bite to his hand in the process, according to court documents.

Police arrived and broke up the struggle.

Stahley allegedly showed police where he hid Siller’s body, according to court documents.

Stahley is being held in Montgomery County Prison without bail pending trial.